What to Look For in Your Snowmobile Insurance

What a terrific year we’re having for snowmobiling in New York State! Old Forge reports on January 17, 2017 fair to good conditions with up to 4” of frozen base. (Click to get the most current update on Snowmobile Old Forge NY.) And the Tug Hill is some of the best sledding in the northeast.

You’ll need insurance on your sled if you’re driving it in New York State on any part of a roadway or shoulder of a highway. You must carry proof of insurance to show law enforcement, any magistrate, or anyone you hurt or whose property you damaged in a snowmobile accident.

Snowmobile Insurance Coverages in New York State

The minimum liability limits required in New York State are $10,000 liability for an accident involving one person and $20,000 for an accident involving two or more persons. Minimum property damage liability is $5,000.

Medical Payments is also available plus physical damage on your sled. You can even get Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage if you are struck by another sled who is at fault and has lower limits or no insurance at all. You can sue the owner and then collect on your own policy. Roadside Assistance is also available with most of our carriers.

We recommend that you get higher limits of liability. This is an affordable way to protect yourself in case you are at fault for hurting someone else in an accident or damaging their sled. As you know, the minimum of $5,000 Property Damage wouldn’t be enough to cover many of the sleds out there. New sleds start at $7-8,000 and go up from there.

Also, we can insure your transport trailer and accessories. Some companies even offer replacement cost coverage for brand new snowmobiles. To save some money, be sure to get quotes for higher physical damage deductibles.

Snowmobile Insurance Discounts

There are discounts available, too. Some of our companies offer discounts if you’ve had prior insurance for at least 6 months with no lapses. Anti-theft devices save money along with a multi-sled discount and approved accident prevention course. We may even save you some money if you own your home, even though it’s not insured with the same company as your snowmobile.

We are excited for all our friends who have found 2016/17 such a good year for sledding in beautiful New York State. Call us if you have any questions on your snowmobile insurance. We wish you a safe season, but if you are in an accident, we’re here for you.

Until next time,
Your SZW Team

PS. In our last post, we promised you this week the third installment in our New Year’s Checklist series on personal insurance coverages. But we thought we’d better get this info on snowmobile insurance to you now. Next week, it’s all about personal umbrella liability.

Scalzo, Zogby & Wittig, Inc. is your New Hartford area independent insurance agent. Call us for a quote on insurance for your home, car, business, or life at 315.792.0000. Or request a quote here.